2019_09_07 Finished trackwork above Helix

2019_09_07  Trackwork, wiring and some scenery discussions ;)

 Ok so on Thursday Al and I completed all the track work and connected up all 46 pairs of droppers. I dare this section to develop a dead spot!!

 Apart from the terrible curve at the far end of the platform, I am happy with how this all turned out. It is a very difficult thing to create a station on a circular board, even if it is 2.4m diameter. The servo motors which control all points here will be controlled, at least at first, with the small panel leaning up against the wall. Long 3 core aircraft wiring cables connect the servo to this switch panel, simple plug and play :)

 Because the goods shed shares the approach to the engine shed, I created a road that will hold car loads to and from shed to clear approach to engine shed if required.

 Another road was created to coal and oil locomotives and water them too.

 R707 loads with Maitland coal before watering and setting aside for next turn of duty.

Extended the shed road to store an engine till required. Was going to put a pit here, but the curve was necessary.

 Peco pit was utilized. Need to dirty it up, I guess.

We ran all sorts of trains and tested all track. To finish it off, I need to install point motors and switch the dead frogs with them. Going to use servo motors here.


SCENERY
To start to fix up and add the scenery it was decided to get all the fascia panels in place.  This will enable the ground cover to finish and it should work out well, visually.

It will also tidy up the tired old black masonite and allow a change of colour, probably a dark olive green. 

I like the bottom two :)

So we just glued the new white craft wood to the old masonite, with liquid nails and clamped it for 24 hours. Graeme trimmed the top off with a Stanley knife to match the scenery base, making adjustments where necessary.

 We also noticed that the black top valence had given way here. Re glued it and see if it holds this time. The bending might be over stressing the construction. We will have to see.

 Graeme starts to shape the tops after clamping the fascia after applying liberal amounts of glue.
Graeme also has worked out a way of recessing the point motor switches. We can drill them in when the glue drys.

 The board cut fairly well with the knife. Watch the fingers please!

We lowered the cut in front of the bridge, as the creek was flowing up hill here. Now its looking good.

It should be nice when painted green.

So thats all for now as I continue to test the new track..  eh run trains, which is something that has not happened much around here for many months :D

Cheers
Rod